Town considering once a week recycling of both paper and commingles (now it's every other week)Release Date: September 08, 2017

We’re always looking for ways to run the town better, more efficiently and for less money. We hear from residents that the current recycling collection for paper and co-mingled is not enough, that paper and comingled (glass, plastics, metals) should be collected weekly. I have asked the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Public Works to consider implementing a change in the 2018 sanitation schedule. We will continue to pick up garbage twice a week (two of the villages within the town – Hastings and Tarrytown have one day a week pickup) BUT may be able to pick up paper and your co-mingled recycling both once a week instead of every other week. They advise that the more efficient automated side-arm collection (the one-arm bandit) has introduced efficiencies with the collection of regular garbage that now enables additional resources to focus on the recycling program. They are currently reviewing various sanitation collection data and are considering ways to provide for weekly paper and co-mingled recycling collection to our residents.

If this new service can be implemented sometime in 2018 there could be significant savings of taxpayer dollars, if it encourages even greater recycling by our residents. When we separate papers and other recyclables from the regular garbage, the county does NOT charge us any fee to dispose of these recyclables. Our only cost is labor. When it comes to garbage – the town is charged $27.73 per ton for disposal. Our total bill for disposal costs during the month of July was $40,795.17. Every bit of paper and co-mingled recyclables that stay out of the regular garbage saves everyone money.

The more you recycle the less we spend. And the less we have to tax you for town related services. We’re currently contracting with the Greenburgh Nature Center to have a drop off food recycling location. Friends I know who compost their food waste tell me that they now throw out very little additional garbage with each pickup.

The Commissioner of Public Works, Victor Carosi, expects to advise the Town Board before the end of November on a possible timetable to implement a new recycling collection program in 2018.

QUESTION TO YOU—If we pick up paper and your co-mingled plastic, glass and metals once a week do you think you will recycle more?

Are you interested in food waste recycling? Would you be willing to collect your food scraps and bring them to a Town collection center?